Fresh Blue Ink Bloghttp://freshblueink.ca/wordpress
Publisher of Quality Canadian FictionSat, 23 Sep 2017 14:31:23 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1R.M. Kozan short story featured in Free Lit Magazinehttp://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=170
http://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=170#commentsFri, 22 Sep 2017 14:30:39 +0000freshbluehttp://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=170The short story ‘How To Make A Sociopath Laugh’ written by R.M. Kozan, the author of Breakaway:1977, is featured in the September 2017 issue of Free Lit Magazine, ‘The Monsters Issue’.

]]>http://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=1700BREAKAWAY:1977 celebrity endorsement!http://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=162
http://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=162#commentsSat, 13 Sep 2014 15:53:50 +0000freshbluehttp://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=162Breakaway: 1977, our debut release by R. M. Kozan, has been endorsed by the very wonderful Sylvia Anderson, the co-creator of many iconic SF TV series such as Space: 1999, UFO, Thunderbirds, and Fireball XL5.

On September 9th, 2014, Sylvia sent Fresh Blue Ink the following statement:

“Breakaway: 1977 is a fiercely compelling read by R. M. Kozan – a truly creative writer who brings to life real characters across a blazing backdrop of imagination.”

Needless to say the author is chuffed that the original creator of Space: 1999 would see his work, with its deep tie-ins to the Space:1999 universe, in such a positive light.

Fresh Blue Ink is extremely proud to make this announcement on the first anniversary of our release of Breakaway: 1977 and on the 15th anniversary of that fateful moment in Space: 1999 when the Moon breaks out of Earth orbit: September 13th, 1999.

Sylvia and daughter Dee are currently working on a new series “The Last Station”. We wish them every success and eagerly anticipate its debut.

]]>http://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=1620Draft of second R. M. Kozan novel receivedhttp://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=140
http://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=140#commentsTue, 12 Aug 2014 21:25:26 +0000freshbluehttp://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=140Today Fresh Blue Ink has received a completed draft manuscript for R. M. Kozan’s second novel. Copies are currently being scrutinized by much the same team of linguists and friendly readers as examined Breakaway: 1977.

Here is a sneak peak revealing some of the first page!

More details will be released soon.

]]>http://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=1400Why Write About Space Lizards?http://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=119
http://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=119#commentsTue, 22 Jul 2014 20:15:53 +0000freshbluehttp://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=119Let me first be clear about my ambiguous term ‘space lizards’. This appellation is intended to reference a range of phenomena, generally of disputed reality, found in science fiction, fantasy fiction, conspiracy theory, and UFOlogy.

Space lizards, space reptiles, reptilian humanoids or reptoids, space dinosaurs: all these are included in my menagerie. I admit that biologists and purists might argue that a lizard is a specific type of reptile. This distinction, however, is unimportant for my purposes and I will therefore cling to the shorter, snappier ‘lizard’ label. (Additional admission: ‘snappy’ might be more a personality than a species descriptor.)

A sympathetic view of space lizards (space dinosaurs in this case) is found in Robert J. Sawyer’s masterful Quintaglio Ascension trilogy of novels, proving that one cannot judge an entity by its species. (Note to self: devise pun about specious prejudice).

Most views of space lizards are far less sympathetic. The conspiracy theory regarding subterranean reptilian humanoids seeking to control human affairs first emerged in a Los Angeles newspaper article in 1934. It was not until much later, in the 1990s, that David Icke’s vision of mysterious reptoid overlords infiltrating and controlling humanity permeated our popular culture.

In 1954, movie-goers were treated to the amphibious biped of “The Creature from the Black Lagoon”. In that same year, they were also introduced to the giant lizard Godzilla. More modern incarnations include the Visitors of the television series “V” in both its 1980s and more recent version.

The lizard, despite its terrestrial origin, seems alien. It invokes shudders and powers phobias. These creatures are cold-blooded and devour live prey. They are the ready-made monsters every harried ‘creature feature’ writer adores.

Both the psychopath and the reptilian personality mesmerize us – they are indecipherable and contain nothing we recognize as human. They effortlessly represent evil and are the prototypical alien spawned in the imaginations of writers occupying the borderland between science fiction and horror.

Why is this so? Consider the triune brain theory to understand why reptiles appear as evil incarnate to us humans. This theory suggests the human brain can be understood as three separate systems that evolved successively: the oldest being the reptilian complex which maps roughly to the brain stem; the middle being the limbic system which exists in all mammals; and the newest being the neocortex, which includes the frontal lobe, a uniquely human endowment.

Emotion arises from the workings of the amygdalae, a pair of structures classified within the limbic system and not present in the reptilian brain. Altruism (even in its self-interested rational form) requires a neocortex. Love and mercy, therefore, do not exist among lizards.

This incapacity for emotion renders reptiles alien to our perspective and allows us to conflate their type of cognition with psychopathy. It is oft stated that the eyes of psychopaths are reptilian, that is, devoid of any spark of emotion or compassion. This provides a tie-in with the second theme of Fresh Blue Ink’s planned short fiction anthology Space Lizards Of Canada.

The link above takes you to Sears.ca where the Crosley Collegiate record player is offered for sale. On that page, scroll down to the reviews section. The reviewer recommends reading Breakaway:1977 while listening to your LPs

]]>http://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=1080Ottawa Small Press Fair – October 12, 2013http://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=103
http://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=103#commentsTue, 15 Oct 2013 13:35:09 +0000freshbluehttp://freshblueink.ca/wordpress/?p=103Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Fresh Blue Ink table at the Ottawa Small Press Fair this Saturday. A special thank-you to purchasers of our first release, Breakaway: 1977, of which there were a few!

Congratulations to Joanna Simpson, the winner of our draw for a free copy of Breakaway: 1977!